1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to therapeutic products and methods for treatment of sickle cell anemia and its symptomatology, and more specifically to a process for the extraction and isolation of therapeutic compositions from the roots of Brazilian ginseng, particularly Pfaffia paniculata, and the uses thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
The root of the plant commonly referred to as "Brazilian Ginseng" and more particularly Pfaffia paniculata, has been used as a tonic, aphrodisiac, tranquilizer and folk medicine for centuries. Brazilian ginseng is a perennial wild plant in the Amaranthaceae family and grows primarily within the Goias region of Brazil. Several pfaffic compounds have been isolated from the roots of Brazilian ginseng, including Pfaffic acid C.sub.29 H.sub.44 O.sub.3, also known as 3 beta-hydroxy-16, 20-cyclo-30-norolean-12-en-28 oic acid, and various derivatives, including Pfaffosides, which include C.sub.40 H.sub.60 O.sub.13, C.sub.46 H.sub.70 O.sub.18, C.sub.41 H.sub.62 O.sub.14, C.sub.50 H.sub.70 O.sub.18, C.sub.47 H.sub.72 O.sub.18 and C.sub.35 H.sub.52 O.sub.9, and various saponins.
Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. SHO 59-10548 describes the extraction of Pfaffic acid, as well as alkyl and acyl derivatives thereof, from Brazilian ginseng. The reference acknowledges the long use of Brazilian ginseng as an Indian folk medicine for treating a variety of ailments: diabetes, ulcers, leukemia and cancers. The reference also describes antioncogenic (anti-neoplasm) agents in Pfaffic acid which inhibit tumor growth. Japanese Application No. SHO 57-118872 similarly describes antioncogenic properties of Brazilian gingseng compounds.
The references, however, fail to discuss the sickle cell symptomatology inhibiting properties of Brazilian ginseng and its derivatives, as described in the present invention. Sickle cell disease or anemia is an inherited chronic anemia in which a large proportion of the normally biconcave, disc-shaped red blood cells sickle, i.e. form a crescent shape, which is not conducive to normal circulatory blood flow, especially through narrow capillary vessels. Persons suffering from sickle cell disease are subject to a wide variety of symptoms and disorders: ulcerations, jaundice, pneumonias, abdominal, leg and skeletal muscle pain, vessel occlusion, and other harmful symptomatology characteristic of sickle cell disease.
It is therefore one object of the present invention to develop a process for extracting and isolating therapeutic products from Brazilian ginseng for the treatment of sickle cell symptomatology.
Another object of the invention is to provide methods for using the extracted, therapeutic Brazilian ginseng products to inhibit the deleterious symptoms of sickle cell disease.